Introduction
The field of psychology includes many experiments, and while many of them are controversial, they are still insightful. The Milgram experiment is one example of such a groundbreaking study, although it caused major criticism. Hopper’s article, along with those written by Romm and Khan Academy, successfully shows how the experiment proved the hypothesis of people’s compliance with authority and the steps involved in using electricity.
Critique of the Milgram Experiment
In her 2019 ThoughtCo article, Hopper examined the Milgram experiment, its process, findings, and controversies. As Hopper (2019) claims, the experiment sought to determine how far people would go to comply with authority figures’ commands. A researcher instructed the participants to shock a different person with electrical impulses that got stronger (Hopper, 2019).
The participants were unaware that the impulses were fake and that the person receiving them was an actor (Hopper, 2019). Even though the person being shocked shouted in distress, most volunteers still followed instructions (Hopper, 2019). Both ethical and scientific objections to the experiment have been raised in great numbers (Hopper, 2019). Nevertheless, the findings are still crucial, especially to modern science.
Comparative Analysis of Critiques
There are several noticeable comparisons and contrasts among Hopper’s article and the works by Romm and Khan Academy For example, while Hopper’s article focuses directly on the experiment, Romm provides a background to the research, showing the participant recruitment process and the magazine title “We will pay you $4 for one hour of your time” (Romm, 2015, para.1). However, both are similar since they illustrate the voltages used in the experiment, such as 15 to 450 volts (Romm, 2015).
The Khan Academy article is different from Hoppers in terms of an explanation of how voltages increased. While Hopper claimed that voltages grew gradually, the Khan Academy article (2015) shows that a 15-volt increase followed each wrong answer. Still, both are similar in terms of describing the experiment and its roles, such as a teacher and a learner.
Conclusion
Hence, along with articles by Romm and Khan Academy, Hopper’s piece effectively demonstrates how the experiment supported the supposition that people would follow instructions and use electricity when required. As for similarities and differences, Hopper’s article differs from Romm’s regarding sample details and is similar in voltage descriptions. The article differs from Khan Academy’s regarding voltage explanations and is similar in role explanation.
References
Hopper, E. (2019). The Milgram experiment: How far will you go to obey an order? ThoughtCo. Web.
Khan Academy. (2015). Milgram’s experiment on obedience. CommonLit.
Romm, C. (2015). Rethinking one of psychology’s most infamous experiments. The Atlantic. Web.